Punjab Kings` Shreyas Iyer seeks momentum shift after quiet outings

The recent dip in form of captain Shreyas Iyer will undoubtedly be a major concern for the Punjab Kings camp as they prepare to face a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders side at Eden Gardens this Saturday.

Currently sitting fifth on the points table with 10 points from five wins and three losses, Punjab Kings are in a relatively strong position. In contrast, Kolkata Knight Riders find themselves in seventh place, having secured only three victories from eight matches. As both teams aim to gain momentum, Iyer’s form will be under the spotlight, especially after his recent struggles with the bat.

Iyer has been the standout performer for PBKS so far this season, amassing 263 runs in eight innings at an impressive average of 43.83 and a blistering strike rate of 185.21. His highest score, 97*, and 17 fours and 20 sixes highlight his explosive batting style. However, beneath these impressive numbers lies a story of inconsistency. After an excellent start to the season, with scores of 97* against Gujarat Titans and 52* against Lucknow Super Giants, Iyer has struggled to convert starts into substantial innings. Since the LSG match, his scores have been a patchy 10, 9, 82, 0, 7, and 6,  totaling just 114 runs in six innings, at a much lower average of 19, though with a decent strike rate of over 162.

While his form at home has been a cause for concern, Iyer has maintained an exceptional record away from home. In contrast to his struggles at Mullanpur, where he has registered paltry scores of 10, 9, 0, and 6 in four innings, Iyer has thrived in away games. His performances include scores of 97* and 52* against Gujarat and Lucknow, respectively, and an 82 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Uppal Stadium. In fact, he has averaged a remarkable 119 in away matches, with three half-centuries to his name.

The upcoming match at Eden Gardens presents an opportunity for Iyer to continue his strong away form, and perhaps even break his home-ground slump. Will the conditions at Eden provide enough for Iyer to regain his earlier rhythm, or will his inconsistency continue to hamper Punjab`s progress? Only time will tell as the match unfolds.

KKR vs PBKS, IPL 2025: Squads

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande

Punjab Kings Squad: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer(c), Josh Inglis(w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash.

(With ANI inputs)